In His Own Little World
by The Japanese Wonder
Summary: A mysterious Koopa appears at the doorstep of Bowser's Keep. Who is he? What is his connection to the so-called half-breed? Rated T for violence and alcohol intake.
1. Chapter 1

_Note: If you are not familiar with certain characters, this story will confuse you. Non-canon characters are included. The characters are in order of appearance: Atara Yoshi is the mother of Karma Koopa(below). She does not know where her daughter is ever since an incident that caused her to flee her village. _

_Karma Koopa is a hybrid of a Koopa and Yoshi with a purple shell as well as long, black hair usually worn in a ponytail. She has a hot temper and strongly dislikes the oldest of the Koopalings, Ludwig. However, she is unfortunately forced to become his future spouse (much to the dismay of everyone) as a result of a biological connection called a Metbond; it is a bond that is uncontrollable and will cause illness upon putting a certain amount of distance between them. If one of them is killed, then the other will as well. _

_T__eela Yoshi is a friend of Karma's who was grudgingly accepted as a visitor after saving Bowser's life. She gained supernatural powers after being bitten by a "legendary" Boo on the night of a full moon. This resulted in a slight change of appearance; she grew long fangs on each side of her mouth. Although she already had long hair that consisted of various colors, the combined change in appearance caused many in her village to chase her out of her home, thinking she was a vampire._

In His Own Little World

Lightning flashed and thunder boomed as a small and decent house located on Cookie Mountain withstood nature's fury. The house was not very complicated; it was simply a two-story house surrounded by normally lush fields. Tonight, however, was different. The small structure could barely stand still on this stormy night. Within, two voices conversed in low, hushed voices, one pleading and the other oddly formal.

"Don't go, please don't go…"a green Yoshi pleaded softly. Her eyes were red with tears and an empty bottle of brandy lay on a nearby table. "First her, then her only friend…I don't know what to do. I can't stand being so alone."

"Don't you want to see your daughter again? Chances are high that she's still alive. I've known her for quite a long time, and she was tough. Very tough. She isn't one to die from hunger or thirst, and you know that very well, I believe. Besides, I can do things that other Koopas can't." replied the male Koopa Atara Yoshi was talking to. His eyes, dark and empty, narrowed. "I may be a year younger than her, but I am not to be underestimated." When she didn't reply, the boy backed away, and, opening the front door quietly, walked into the raging storm. But before going, he turned and said one last thing.

"I'm sorry Atara. It's for both of us." With that, he closed the door, leaving the grieving Yoshi to sob quietly.

Chapter One

"Ludwig? LUUDWIIIIIIIIG!" called Karma as she scanned the empty hallway for the blue-haired scientist. When the only thing that reached her ears was her own echoing voice, she sighed and abandoned all hope of finding the kook. Where was he when she most needed him, anyway? Karma made a mental note to sock him afterwards… if she found him, that is. Exhausted after searching the whole castle three times and still not having a clue to where he had gone, she retreated to her room and fell on her bed, with the intention of staring off into space. She fell asleep when her head hit the pillow instead. She did not sleep very peacefully however. A very peculiar vision formed within her mind's eye and she soon began to feel somewhat conscious of the fact that this was a dream.

In the dream, she stood on a small platform hovering unsteadily over what looked like a black hole surrounded by a swirling whirlpool of colors—blue, red, yellow, gray, and green. Standing on a similar platform across the void was a Koopa that looked somewhat familiar… but she just couldn't place her finger on how he was familiar. Besides, he had a mask on—the type of mask that covers every part of your face. The mask itself, though, was unsettling. It was the face of a human that tells you that he or she wasn't the normal human; he had unruly black hair that covered most of his top half of his face, dark circles under his eyes—indicating he hadn't slept very well—, and pitch-black eyes that seemed…lifeless, somehow. Suddenly, the figure spoke.

"Hi, Karma. It's been years since we've seen each other. I hope you do recognize me, for we used to be good friends…fairly good friends."

Surprised as she was, Karma was even more shocked at the hostility of the next words rolling off her tongue.

"How should I recognize you, when you have that creepy mask on? You look more like a stranger to me, and I don't trust strangers who don't show their face…old friend." The Koopa boy seemed anything but offended, however. In fact, he seemed downright amused.

"You're right…I should take this mask off, even if it makes me remember someone I liked," he said, resignedly yet with a tone of amusement. He began to remove the object, when suddenly, overwhelming forces made everything begin to blur,… to shrink,… and to finally, disappear.

"Karma! Wake up, for DAD's sake. It's six, and dinner's about to be served—" Karma, half-awake and half sleeping, bolted upright and began throttling her fiancé.

"Where were you when I needed you?!" the now fully awake Karma growled. "My diary was stolen—again!—and I don't know how to operate the DAD-forsaken tracking machine, so I searched the whole castle three times for you, and, and,…" Karma was lost for words in her anger, and stopped throttling Ludwig. Instead, she glared at him expectantly for an explanation. Surprisingly, Ludwig apologized.

"Sorry, Karma. I was running an errand for Dad, and had to go to the forest nearby. I had to go alone to discuss a treaty—you know how Boos don't trust Koopas unless they're alone, unarmed, and, well…"Ludwig turned red at the last part. "They have someone they care about that's not from their family. Which means you." Karma's anger dulled considerably. Ludwig did try to be friendly and lessen fights (though it wasn't all that effective sometimes) every once in a while, but to think he really cared about her was astonishing.

"The reason why we didn't get cramps from not being closer to each other was that the forest was only about two minutes from the opposite direction" Ludwig, ever the scientist, continued. "thus not affecting the Metbond at all." He began to say more, but Karma interrupted.

"Wait wait wait. Why didn't you leave me a note, puffball? I could have killed us both. And that wouldn't have been very good for your ego, would it?" Karma grinned. It was the first sincere smile Ludwig had seen in weeks; life was strained lately, and few had real happiness. Relieved, Ludwig chuckled and began leading her to the dining room.

Meanwhile, however, someone watched, unfazed and impassive. He had heard the word "Metbond" in their conversation. That, at least, surprised him… but what to do? He couldn't possibly destroy the bond…that would mean sure death to the two heirs… there was no solution, was there? The answer was surely a no. He blinked, and disappeared into the darkness. He would think of something, that was sure…just not now.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

At the dinner table, Ludwig and Karma conversed animatedly and happily, surprising everyone else.

"Did it go well?"

"Yeah. It sure did. The Boos accepted me at once, finding out the three points I informed you about a few minutes ago."

"Did you succeed in discussing the treaty?"

"It went better than I would have imagined. The Boos agreed not to wreak havoc in the basement if we didn't cut down the trees."

"The trees, eh? So all they wanted were the trees. It's kind of weird, considering Boos as guardians of trees. Aren't they dead souls that have come back to life? I think they should guard their graves instead of trees."

"Yeah, but, that's pretty much their nature, I guess."

Across the table, Roy muttered to Lemmy,

"Since when were they lovers?"

"I don't know. They seemed to hate each other until now."

"At least Yoshi did. As for Kooky, I don't know.

"Whaddaya mean?"

"He seemed as if he didn't mind her much. It was as if Yoshi was just an ordinary Koopa, or something."

"Oh…I see your point."

"Yeah, and I like to see them fighting instead of being mushy with each other. It's kinda gross."

"Don't worry, Roy. They'll turn back to normal tomorrow." To this, Roy merely grunted and excused himself, dragging his tired body to his room to read comics, and to eventually fall asleep. What he hadn't noticed, however, was that a certain member of the family was grinning mischievously, eyes glinting.

Meanwhile, a lone Koopa walked to the grayish brick wall of Bowser's Keep and, leaning against it, closed his eyes. Tomorrow will be a long day, he thought. And I ought to prepare for it.

The next day, the same Koopa boy grinned to himself. This was going to be too easy. Had one taken a look at his eyes, they would have noticed that the pupils were tiny dots of black instead of the dull, empty black color they had been the night before.

Bowser had just finished his breakfast and was, oddly, in a great mood. I feel like I can forgive my kids even if they destroyed my castle, he thought. Nothing will make me angry, even if the filthy hybrid spat on my face and jeered at me. I ought to go somewhere with my kids…and my daughter-in-law. Before he could do so, however, the doorbell rang. Wondering who it was, Bowser opened the door. Before him stood a Koopa boy, about Ludwig's height but a little skinnier. He had a blue shell topped with seven pearly-white spikes. His hair was uncombed and messy, the color of it was a shiny black. He had dark circles under his eyes, which told Bowser that the poor guy hadn't slept enough for a while. Three fangs jutted out; one on each side and one on the middle, making his mouth look like a combination of Ludwig's and Roy's. He wore a necklace of what looked like a cross and a sword welded together. Just what this guy wanted was unclear, but Bowser decided to let him in anyway.

"So, what business do you have with us, traveler?" The Koopa shook his head to this.

"I am not traveling around, actually. I'm looking for someone, and I thought that you could tell me where she is, or at least where she might be, based on my description."

"A she, eh? You looking for your girlfriend?"

"Not exactly my girlfriend… but a friend from long ago."

"What's she like?"

"I don't think you would know her. She isn't exactly a Koopa, and she isn't a type you would like, either…" the Koopa boy paused. "She's part Yoshi and part Koopa. Shortly speaking, she's a hybrid. Does that ring a bell?"

"Actually, I think it does. What's her name?" Bowser asked, a little suspicious. Who was this boy?

"Her name is Karma Koopa."


	3. Chapter 3

At the dinner table, Ludwig and Karma conversed animatedly and happily, surprising everyone else.

"Did it go well?"

"Yeah. It sure did. The Boos accepted me at once, finding out the three points I informed you about a few minutes ago."

"Did you succeed in discussing the treaty?"

"It went better than I would have imagined. The Boos agreed not to wreak havoc in the basement if we didn't cut down the trees."

"The trees, eh? So all they wanted were the trees. It's kind of weird, considering Boos as guardians of trees. Aren't they dead souls that have come back to life? I think they should guard their graves instead of trees."

"Yeah, but, that's pretty much their nature, I guess."

Across the table, Roy muttered to Lemmy,

"Since when were they lovers?"

"I don't know. They seemed to hate each other until now."

"At least Yoshi did. As for Kooky, I don't know.

"Whaddaya mean?"

"He seemed as if he didn't mind her much. It was as if Yoshi was just an ordinary Koopa, or something."

"Oh…I see your point."

"Yeah, and I like to see them fighting instead of being mushy with each other. It's kinda gross."

"Don't worry, Roy. They'll turn back to normal tomorrow." To this, Roy merely grunted and excused himself, dragging his tired body to his room to read comics, and to eventually fall asleep. What he hadn't noticed, however, was that a certain member of the family was grinning mischievously, eyes glinting.

Meanwhile, a lone Koopa walked to the grayish brick wall of Bowser's Keep and, leaning against it, closed his eyes. Tomorrow will be a long day, he thought. And I ought to prepare for it.

The next day, the same Koopa boy grinned to himself. This was going to be too easy.

Bowser had just finished his breakfast and was, oddly, in a great mood. I feel like I can forgive my kids even if they destroyed my castle, he thought. Nothing will make me angry, even if the filthy hybrid spat on my face and jeered at me. I ought to go somewhere with my kids…and my daughter-in-law. Before he could do so, however, the doorbell rang. Wondering who it was, Bowser opened the door. Before him stood a Koopa boy, about Ludwig's height but a little skinnier. He had a blue shell topped with seven pearly-white spikes. His hair was uncombed and messy, the color of it a shiny black. He had dark circles under his eyes, which told Bowser that the poor guy hadn't slept enough for a while. Three fangs jutted out; one on each side and one on the middle, making his mouth look like a combination of Ludwig's and Roy's. He wore a necklace of what looked like a cross and a sword welded together. Just what this guy wanted was unclear, but Bowser decided to let him in anyway.

"So, what business do you have with us, traveler?" The Koopa shook his head to this.

"I am not traveling around, actually. I'm looking for someone, and I thought that you could tell me where she is, or at least where she might be, based on my description."

"A she, eh? You looking for your girlfriend?"

"Not exactly my girlfriend… but a friend from long ago."

"What's she like?"

"I don't think you would approve of her. She isn't exactly a Koopa, and she isn't a type you would like, either…" the Koopa boy paused. "She's part Yoshi and part Koopa. Shortly speaking, she's a hybrid. Does that ring a bell?"

"Actually, I think it does. What's her name?" Bowser asked, a little breathless. Was this boy someone who would lift Ludwig's curse?

"Her name is Karma Koopa."


	4. Chapter 4

In the living room, Ludwig and Karma racked their brains for a strategy to beat the other in chess. All morning they had competed in various games—fighting, racing, puzzle, just to name a few—and both had won just as many times as the other. This chess game was the tiebreaker, and though both were in a competitive mood, the usual competitive static was thin, almost nonexistent. Just when Ludwig's mental light bulb lit up, however, someone walked into the room. Quizzically, Ludwig and Karma turned their heads, and saw the person who seemed to have just arrived at Kastle Koopa. Upon seeing Karma, his eyes widened. Karma, on the other hand, didn't immediately recognize the other, and cast a somewhat confused look at Ludwig, who just shrugged in return.

"Karma… long time no see," began the Koopa (he seemed to have realized that Karma didn't recognize him yet), and pulled out a rather expensive-looking gold locket from his shell, opening it at the same time. Seeing this, Karma let out something that seemed like a somewhat choked gasp and whispered in barely audible voice, "Kaska… is that really you?"

"It is, old friend."

"But…but you were presumed dead after the incident!"

"Yeah, but I faked my death and disguised myself—that is to say, I spent several sleepless nights and changed my shell. Remember that it used to be black?" Karma nodded. It had been black before, and, if she remembered correctly, there was a distinguishing scar on it as well. Dark crescents under the eyes and a different shell seemed enough to fool at least the Mario Bros.

"But…what happened to your family?" Upon hearing this, his eyes widened, ever so slightly. But Karma and Ludwig didn't miss it. Something was wrong with him or his family. But while Karma decided not to ask—she knew better than to provoke him—and began to divert the topic to other things, Ludwig was surprised to feel a pang of jealousy…and faint recognition, as he examined the locket that seemed to be made by clumsy hands but with great effort and devotion. Hadn't he seen this newcomer before? His rational part of his mind answered that this was ridiculous, but his instinct replied in stronger tone. Feeling troubled, he began to ask Karma where she had met her friend, but before he could do so, Teela promptly appeared in the living room.

"Hi, Karma. Hi Ludwig….uh, who are you again?" Though she had seen him once before, Teela had never gotten around to remembering Kaska's name. Kaska, looking amused and a little surprised, only said," The guy you gave directions to" and grinned. He had a flashback of that time when he had been lost in the woods.

Hmm, thought Kaska. Normally I don't get lost in the woods, though this is the forest of illusion. I guess I'll just have to check my map…Where's my map? Panic began to seep into his mind as he slowly realized what had happened. It seemed that he had lost his map on the way here or while he was sleeping. He searched fruitlessly for hours in the area, but, to his dismay, could not find it. Was it in the tree he had taken food from the day before? It wasn't there. Was it under the rock with the scorpion? It wasn't there either, and he got a painful reminder not to mess with poisonous creatures, no matter how small. He was getting exasperated and was about to give up and go back to where he had came from (he had done at least enough to find his way home) when someone called,"Hey you! Yeah, you with the black hair!" As Kaska looked up, a female Yoshi sat on top of a branch, and for a moment Kaska thought she looked like a monkey. Quickly pushing out such thoughts, however, he replied,"Can you help me find my way? Seems like I got lost."

"Sure. Where do you want to go?"

"Do you know where Cookie Mountain is?"

"Um… It's east of where you came from for about a mile, then turn north for about three miles. Then you'll see the Twin Bridges."

"Thanks. By the way, my name is Kaska Koopa. Nice to meet you."

"You're welcome. And my name is Teela Yoshi."

His flashback ended, he began to tell her his name again—in other words, reintroduce himself, but suddenly stopped. He had, for the first time, noticed her fangs. Back in the forest, he couldn't see them because shadows covered them, but now, he could see them clearly enough. He snapped out of his trance and asked, "Where did you acquire your rather sharp teeth?"

"Well, I got them from a Boo, or rather from being bitten by one. You see, you have to be curious enough to have it override your fear, and venture into a haunted house. Then a huge Boo comes up and bites you. If you're lucky, you can have it bite your arm or leg—any place that's not your neck. Anyway, it's a process that sounds simple, but is actually very complex." I still remember how I felt…so confused and unaware…everything going this way and that…like I was going insane and losing all rational thought…it was so scary… She shuddered inwardly. This boy wouldn't have to know; too many had suffered intolerable pain and enough was enough. Deciding that this subject should be left undisturbed, she began talking about other things. Soon the two were deep in conversation, and Ludwig and Karma resumed their chess match. In the end, Ludwig won, but only because of his rather unfair advantage: his intellect. Once they were done, however, Clawdia called them to dinner.

"What are you two going to do?" inquired Ludwig, poking his head through the door.

"We'll be fine." replied Kaska, his tone of voice obviously stating that he was irritated at having his conversation interrupted.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I get the message."

With that, Ludwig and Karma left the room and headed for the dinner table. As Kaska watched them go, however, he smirked evilly. How gullible, he thought. Too gullible, in fact. This is proceeding better than I expected…


	5. Chapter 5

That night after dinner, Ludwig asked Karma to meet him at the veranda. When she agreed, he nearly let out a sigh of—unexpectedly—relief.

"Okay, so what you're saying is, Kooky, is that I go to the veranda at ten and wait for you?"

"Yeah. Or I could go early. Either way, I have something to discuss with you. Got it?"

"Got it. Now, I have some work to do, so I'll be going." She hurried to her room, and once she was out of sight and earshot, Ludwig let out his breath—he had been holding it. Whew! He thought. So abruptly, so suddenly! I never thought it would come to this.

What he didn't realize was that it never would have if one of his younger siblings hadn't spiked his and Karma's beverages with a particular type of potion—tasteless, odorless, and completely colorless. If he had been focusing on how his sibling had watched the pair, he would have noticed how he/she had stared at them. But, alas, he was too concentrated on how attractive Karma was. She isn't that ugly, he thought. In fact, she isn't ugly at all. She's beautiful. Even as he returned to his room and started inventing, he couldn't stop thinking about her, no matter how hard he tried. As a result, his invention sputtered and coughed and drooled oil as a wire hung loosely at the side. But this hardly bothered him at all—besides, what did he care if an invention or two didn't work? He had more important matters at hand.

Meanwhile, Karma studied in her room, hoping desperately that she had the ability to write a twenty- page long report on the rebellion occurring in the Forest of Illusion and what she thought needed to be done within two hours. She had already gotten her own private tutor—even though Bowser complained a lot about the costly fee, as few could tolerate teaching a hybrid—and she hadn't done her homework that week due to many inconveniences such as Larry stealing her diary (no doubt he could pick the lock with Ludwig's stolen equipment), or Roy, being a sore loser, challenging her again and again to a fitness competition. At least he lost every time, Karma thought. Shoving such thoughts away, she began writing furiously. Once she was past the first few pages, however, her thoughts began to drift away towards Ludwig. He's not that bad, she thought. At least we get along. She suddenly realized what she was doing, and shook her head. Get a grip, girl! She scolded herself. I need to finish this by ten! …Hmm. Maybe I should act nicer to him. Kamek did tell me that my hostility caused him to call me names and all… I wonder if treating him better would make him treat me better… She soon got lost in her thoughts about Ludwig, and the hand writing the report stopped in mid-sentence. By the time she returned back to reality, it was nine-thirty. Swearing, she resumed her work, constantly checking her clock.

Kaska entered her room without bothering to knock, but the Yoshi/Koopa didn't as much as glance at him. He watched her for a while, and said softly,"I believe you don't have enough time… I can do it for you. Besides, we are friends…" his words trailed off into silence. It was obvious that she wasn't listening. Karma's hand streaked across the paper, the pen moving in small, fast blurs. Watching this, Kaska closed the door and walked down the hallway. He hoped he would be forgiven for the atrocious things that would take place next week, according to plan.

He walked down towards the first floor in silence.

On precisely ten o'clock p.m., Ludwig sat down on a chair and recited the questions he was about to ask in his head. Where did she meet Kaska? When? What did he look like? Do you have a picture? He nodded to himself. As long as she didn't answer negative to his last question, he would be able to confirm his fears. He grimaced. This boy could be a direct link to one of the most hideous crimes in the history of Bowser's reign.

Seven years ago…

All of the top detectives were stumped. Thousands of loyal generals, lieutenants, and sergeants were being assassinated in grotesque ways. Strangulation, poisoning by venomous creatures, beheading, wrist-cutting, fatal concussion… the list seemed to grow with each investigation. Even a few of the more famous(or infamous) detectives were dying horrible deaths. Bowser had begun to fear this mysterious killer—which meant this was pretty serious; Bowser never feared anyone, not even the Mario Bros.. Even more unsettling was the lack of clues—strangled victims yielded no swollen heads, just pinched sarcophagi. The poisoned weren't that generous, either. There was a small amount of the venom, but much less than enough to cause death. The headless and the bloodless were dry as well. There was no trace of blood, not even one drop. Even those who were hit hard on the head gave nothing away, such as a dent or hole in the skull; it seemed as if someone had squeezed the brain from the inside. Everyone investigating the case turned themselves insane, and a great many troops resigned or, in the older group, retired early.

This went on until one faithful day, Ludwig found out, purely by luck and code-hacking skills, who was responsible for this massacre. It was a guy whose codename was Oppenfuhrer, which meant "highest-ranking general" in German. Ludwig eventually tracked him down after a few years of toil, and sent an army of Koopa Troopas to kill him. He succeeded in doing so, but the army got exited and killed the whole family(that the mass murderer had a family shocked Ludwig). None of the army's members got an award due to this, and Ludwig was appalled. He soon forgot about the codes he had used. However, one vital piece of information stayed with him during all these years: the killer had a scar on a black shell in the shape of a demon's eye.

Ludwig breathed in and out very deeply, and prepared for the worst. I just hope I'm wrong…


	6. Chapter 6

Meanwhile, Kaska walked slowly towards the first floor, shuddering minutely with beads of perspiration clinging to his face. To anyone else, he might have looked physically ill, but as the owner of the body, he knew better. Muttering an oath, he fingered his necklace, toying with it almost absentmindedly. It had been years since his last encounter, but the feeling was all too familiar. He closed his eyes, fearing the worst and hoping for the best… He snapped his head upwards, toward the barely visible ceiling. The insides feeling as dry as a board and smooth as glass, he murmured, "Do not hide. I think we can negotiate these important matters." He opened his eyes, and before him stood a youth who looked very much like him. The same black hair, the same structure, even the same necklace…one would have thought of them as twins, if not for the tremendous difference in the eyes. The other's horrid eyes. At first glance, one would have seen them as dead and glassy, for they were shiny and wet with a little unhealthiness radiating out of them; how Kaska could talk without a trace of wariness was, in itself, interesting. But the boy could stand it nonetheless, and he spoke quite normally.

"Ussura, you must understand. Killing them is not the solution—that would only make matters worse. I despise violence, and I warn you not to ignore me. For DAD's sake, listen!" This was punctuated by vigorous shaking, and an otherworldly, cold voice answered:

"Your foolishness disgusts me. Let them live? Bah! Let them get away without revenge?! Haark"—a sound of someone hawking ensued—"you must be more than stupid. Insane, perhaps."

"Humph. Think as you wish. You have no power over me whatsoever. You are nothing but an apparition unable to conceal his zombie-eyes"—the other's mouth curled up in a snarl—"and I control everything. Got it? Everything. Now, go away, you're unwelcome here." With that, he closed his eyes once more, and when he opened them again, he was satisfied to see that Ussura had disappeared. Calm and himself once more, he strode down the hallway to—unbelievably—melt through the shadows of Bowser's Keep. It was just so sad that, while he was right about one thing, he was completely wrong about another. Or rather, he was close on one thing and dead-wrong on another. Ussura was something like an apparition, not completely so but close enough to be one, but the fact was, he had great power over Kaska. The decision to carry on what his father had stopped by death—that was his work. The decision to spike Bowser's breakfast coffee with mood-improver—also his work. Poor Kaska had no idea of what was happening with him, and that was just fine—no, excellent—with the other. Ussura cackled silently, watching Kaska, gullible old Kaska, as he watched by a means nobody but Kamek could reach. You're getting it, old buddy, oh yes you are, he thought, and burst into laughter again.

Before we go on, there are many things that need explaining. For now, we might need a little information about Kaska's past.

************************************************************

"Go on! Don't look back!" A harsh, weak voice said.

"Dad,…I can't. It—It's not what you usually say. To be mature, to not cower." A young, disbelieving voice replied. A boy, instantly recognizable as Kaska, could be seen kneeling beside a fallen, severely injured Koopa. At this time, the boy did not have the dark, sleepless circles that underlined his eyes. He also had a black, scarred shell which gleamed in the fiery surroundings. Grimly, Kaska looked around him once more. His house was aflame, the family heirlooms either crackling in the intense heat or slowly melting within it. The woods nearby weren't spared. Frantic creatures leapt, sprinted, or flew out of the densely packed trees, screeching and howling. He gritted his teeth. They never should have moved to the land nearby the Forest of Illusion. The sick bastards found them even so, and a dead end in one direction facing a large army of enemies was not very helpful.

"FOOL!" his father snarled. In one final bout of effort, he grabbed his son's chin and drew him closer.

"Do you think I would be using my reserves of energy dry if I didn't care about you? Your mother and I loved you in all the ways parents can, and your sister, too…."His voice trailed away.

"Do not try to seek revenge for what happened tonight. Contact Karma, your only friend. And live. Do not follow my footsteps; even the greatest die of foolish deeds." With that, Kaska's father, a.k.a. the Oppenfuhrer, slumped down on the ground, his heartbeat stopping, his pulse disappearing. Kaska watched this with the impassive face of an assassin his father once was, yet confusion and grief tore through him on the inside. Why did his father accept being an assassin in the first place? What made him kill his own kind? Kaska's mother had often expressed disapproval at her husband's job. She insisted that, as a working mother, her income was good enough to support the family, if with a few restraints. So why didn't she forbid him from doing what he did? The questions were endless. With his head hung low, Kaska rose. Tears streaming down his face, he picked a good-sized rock and flung it at the nearest soldier. With a hollow dud! the rock found its mark and knocked him out, sending him teetering over the edge. Splash! The soldier sank, never to rise again. Brief horror crept up Kaska's mind, but a maniacal, almost insane glee filled him and blotted it out. He would not seek revenge to the organizer of this army, but he might as well stand and fight while he could. He bent to pick another rock up, but before he could, a Magikoopa muttered an incantation. From his wand issued a greenish, reddish beam, and it struck Kaska squarely in the chest. Struck by a fatal spell, he lost consciousness instantly. It was only because he was lucky and the Magikoopa stuttered that Kaska was able to even survive the blast. The army slowly retreated, scavenging whatever riches it could find.

The fire blazed in the mockingly starry night sky.

************************************************************

Slamming her pen down, Karma finally finished her essay, rubbing her aching hand. She glanced up at the clock, and immediately bolted for the door.

The clock read seven minutes past ten.

Once at the veranda, she plopped herself on a chair, mumbling an apology. Ludwig, who didn't seem to mind, offered her some clear, red liquid. After scrutinizing it carefully, she accepted a glass. Too formal, she thought. What does Kooky have in mind? Sipping at the red stuff—whatever it was, it tasted great—she spoke.

"What did you call me here for? I had to literally make the pen start smoking to finish my essay." To this Ludwig replied in a tone she (Karma) knew all too well: his detective's voice.

"I am gathering evidence to whether your friend is an escaped fugitive of an incident that occurred a few years ago." Dumbfounded, she stared at him.

"What do you mean? Kaska didn't do anything."

"Exactly my point. He does not have a record at all. Face it, Karma. Everyone has a record, long or short. You, for instance, have been accused of trespassing and assaulting a royal member of the—no, Karma, any type of fighting, may it be oral or physical, is an assault."

"So you're saying that fights between siblings are also assaults."

"Correct. We're getting off the point here. Now, a question. Where exactly did you meet Kaska?"

"Cookie Mountain."

"When?"

"I think I met him…eight years ago. Or nine. I don't quite remember."

"Ooohkay… Next question. What did he look like?"

"He didn't have the rings under his eyes, nor did he have the shadow covering his top half of his face. He did have the messy black hair; that never changed. Also, he had a black shell. It was really black. Like the darkest abyss, I mean. It didn't have any scars on it, real smooth." At this Ludwig's face fell. It had no scar on it? The detective in his mind told him that such a fact was impossible. But he had to accept the truth. However, a small, stubborn part of his mind denied this fact. No no no no no no no no no no—he quickly shut that voice speaking in the back of his head. He resumed conversation with Karma, adopting a rather casual tone.

All of this was heard by Kaska. His face serene, he switched the tape recorder purchased in Earth off. So Karma and her little boyfriend were drinking wine and trying to find about the mighty son of the Oppenfuhrer? Interesting…He would have fun spearing the mad scientist. Stuffing the tape recorder in a small bag, he turned to the hallway and began walking. While doing so, he met Teela and exchanged a few words with her. After finishing the conversation, he resumed walking and went downstairs. But Teela noticed something different about him. He wasn't his usual self. He wasn't just a little detached…he was someone else entirely. No, something else was better. Teela shuddered. She had met quite enough beings who were strange, and by what is called natural instinct, she knew she had met another one. Most of his face was as usual, but—Teela suddenly tripped over a banana peel, and with some annoyance realized it was the twin's prank in this area of the castle. Looking out of the window, she noticed that storm clouds were gathering, and decided to leave. With little to no effort, she teleported back to where her boat was floating in the sea.


	7. Chapter 7

As the interview neared its end, Ludwig asked Karma one last thing. Grinning shyly, he asked,"Do you have a day off everything? Education, military, etc.?" To this Karma, bewildered yet somehow knowing what her fiancé was going to ask, replied," Sure. Next week okay?" His grin stretching from ear to ear, Ludwig said," Oh yeah! I have two tickets to an amusement park, you see, and I thought that if you and I went, our relationship would be…"he paused, blushing. "More peaceful. What do you think?" Karma could only blink and stare at him. Her mind was spinning. He just asked me out! I…I don't know what to say! She wanted to slap him, yet she wanted to embrace him hard. The mind can do many funny things when exposed to shocking things. Instead of doing those two actions, she found she could only nod her head. Ludwig patted her on the shoulder and whispered gently in her ear," I know how you feel. First things are pretty embarrassing, aren't they?" He chuckled and stood up. "We'll both have to go our different ways for now. In a certain country, they say that sleeping for the prize to come is the best. Let's go." Leaving Karma dumbfounded and blushing as if her face was on fire, he began walking towards his room. Karma soon followed suit.

The next morning, Teela came back for what she had come for the day before. She picked up her knapsack and dusted off...well, dust. Grimacing with disgust, she looked upwards. Pieces of the ceiling were swirling down towards the floor in lazy circles. For one grotesque moment Teela thought it looked like a very bad case of dandruff. Thinking about it this way made her feel queasy. Something felt off-key this morning…very off-key. It was as if something sinister was working its way inside the castle at a slow but determined rate. She shuddered. Many things that didn't feel right were happening at the same time…. Like Kaska, for instance. He looked like…it was too difficult to describe. She just didn't like it. Even her agility and speed didn't seem helpful this time. Perhaps staying away from the Keep was better for now.

Meanwhile, Bowser had just caught up with Kaska and tapped him on the shoulder. The young Koopa turned around, his expression quizzical. Bowser whispered in a way a federal agent might trade information with a spy in another country. "I have a guestroom ready for you. Your going in and out doesn't seem right. And we don't want muddy footprints on rainy days."

The king said the final sentence with a smile. Kaska grinned and said, "Now that's a nice thought. Where did you get the room, though? I've heard that Karma lives in a small place unfit for royalty. And Karma is in a sense royalty, being the queen to be." Bowser grimaced at this. "Okay, so are you saying you'd like to trade places with her?"

"Ayuh. As I thought, a king like you is quick to notice what people are thinking." Bowser was not exactly pleased to hear this, but nonetheless he led Kaska into Karma's room.

Kaska looked around, now that he had more time to do so. He saw that there was a small cot — most probably uncomfortable for Karma— a desk, and a few other small, irrelevant things. But he also noticed that there was a black, furry creature with a strange-looking collar curled up in the corner of the room. Probably one of Ludwig's inventions it has on its neck, he thought. Just then the animal looked up, revealing itself to be a cat. "That's Playful over there," Bowser explained. "He's very intelligent, and knows how to operate the Pet Translating Machine, so you won't have to do it every time you want to talk to him." The Koopa king attempted to pet the cat, but he hissed and swiped grumpily, missing Bowser by a hair. "Grumpy, too. I wonder who named this piece of fur." He sighed. "If this is what you want, then so be it. I guess you care for the awful thing you call a friend." With one final glance, Bowser left the dingy room for Kaska's use. Ussura spoke up from within the deepest crevices of his mind. Good thinking, kiddo. I'm going to need the privacy. "Shut up, turd." Kaska mumbled. "I'm not your servant, and you're not going to make me one. DAD knows how many you've used, and I'm going to kick your sorry behind."

Don't make me remind you what I can do…Like this, for example.

Kaska was suddenly hit by the barrage of memories his mind held. He remembered precisely what had happened during his early childhood; he remembered the good times, so long ago that he was shocked by this; he remembered the worse, bad times, each memory becoming more and more recent. But most of all he remembered the fateful night when his parents were attacked. He remembered with chilling clarity the sweet, sickening stench of burning flesh, as his parents were cremated alive by the burning lump of wood, steel, and gasoline that used to be what he had called home. He remembered the emotions that had run through him like bullets, the emotions that had pierced him like bullets; the panic, horror, and confusion all came back to him. He remembered the intense heat of the inferno caused by the army, the flames that seemed to taunt him, as if they were all a giant bully made by the dead Troopers his father had assassinated. He could remember everything, down to the most minor detail.

He sank to his knees, biting his lower lip and trying to hold in the screams trying to escape. He succeeded—barely—and clutched his forehead, so his fingers would disappear in his tangle of black hair. He gasped for air like someone who had come very close to drowning. He began breathing heavily, his hands on the floor. Told ya, Ussura said gleefully in a sing-song voice. You're no match for me. "You're wrong," Kaska snarled through gritted teeth. "I know your little weakness too. The thing that I have so little left in me is it…and don't play dumb with me, you." At this Ussura hesitated, and Kaska could sense

(fear)

uncertainty in him, if only the smallest bit… Kaska grinned. He at least had a chance, all right.

The following week, Ludwig and Karma went to the amusement park, or PlitLand, as promised. There, they spent saved up money on the most thrilling rides they had ever ridden, bought cotton candy—in other words, they had the most fun they had had in years. Both promised themselves that they would never fight with their fists or sharp tongues again, and that they would always work together on big projects, be it a plan to defeat the Mario bros, or anything else for that matter.

They didn't think they would have to do so from the next day on.

"Analysis: code fifteen, code fifteen, immediate investigation necessary, victim dead of unknown cause, most likely heart attack. Repeat, code fifteen, code fifteen, immediate investigation necessary, victim dead of unknown cause, most likely heart attack." A Koopa, dressed in a green, military uniform, sent his voice blaring through the Keep. A soldier was dead on Bowser's premises, and that was impossible unless Mario had broken in. And Mario was at home, drinking coffee and reading the Mushroom Times.

Henrico Koopa, an old geezer with about twenty years of seniority on the Major, was found spread-eagled on the floor of his room. The servant had come into the room with Henrico's coffee, and had let out a shrill scream. Henrico's soldiers had alerted the Major, and he had called the detectives with code fifteen: murder within Keep premises. And that brought him where he was now, with his own soldiers scurrying about. Detectives brought a stretcher and dumped the body unceremoniously on it, waiting for the doctor to perform an autopsy so the exact cause of death could be defined.

A long, unpleasant day was waiting ahead.


	8. Chapter 8

"What do you mean, a soldier is dead?! And Henrico on top of that?!" Bowser roared. Although he was often viewed as a cold, heartless leader, it seemed that at this moment, Bowser cared about a fellow soldier's life. Or, perhaps, he simply saw the loss as a crushing blow, and that valuable resources were lost. Either way, he was _not _pleased by the incident.

"Well, sir, I, well…"A low-ranking soldier fidgeted as he struggled to explain the situation. Oh, why was it always him?

"Speak up, fool!" Bowser bellowed. Tendrils of smoke rose lazily from his nostrils, and some of his blood vessels were visible, as anger turned into rage.

"He was dead on the floor, sir, and, um, well…I don't know why. Wasn't there a similar case a few years before?"

Bowser hesitated before answering. How did this rookie come by on this information? "Don't ask. It's finished now. And how do you know?"

Seeing that Bowser was no longer angry—curiosity (and fear?) had taken over—the soldier confessed. "This little file caught my eye one day when I was cleaning the file storage room, and out of curiosity I took it out. It read, 'Operation: Backfire', and it seemed interesting. Prince Ludwig solved it with his advanced intellect, if I remember correctly, and the assassin involved was killed….Sir? Sir, are you all right?"

Bowser had gotten a chalky white, as it all came back to him. With a hoarse voice, he ordered the rookie to check the cause of death. He prayed with all his might that it wasn't suffocation.

He had to inform Ludwig about this.

_A few years ago, in a sinister laboratory:_

_A group of Koopas ran towards the red pulse on their maps. Dressed from head to toe in a special military/biosafety suit, boots, and a gas-mask, each Koopa carried a Super Scope and a couple of Bob-Bombs. Looking down at his map, the leader of them all indicated the next passage. "This way."_

_Nodding, they marched down the hallway, looking carefully around them as they went. Their gas-masks emitted strange sounds, reminding them of Darth-Vader. _

_Eventually, they reached the red pulse. The leader kicked down the door, charging in. A scientist whirled around, nearly dropping the vial he was holding. In it was a greenish liquid that swirled mysteriously around. The scientist was a Koopa as well, and he looked slightly mad. He set the vial he was holding in a holder, where several other vials stood. He took out his hammer, as if he thought he was a Hammer Brother, and spat out a few hateful words._

"_You've finally come, you retched bastards. You're not going to take my potion from me, fools. I won't let you!!" To this the leader replied coldly, as if he had anticipated this move._

"_No sudden moves, Dr. We will open fire if you do not cooperate. Now, hand over the potion and everything will be fine. We might even give you a new identity and a chance to go study something else."_

"_Oh no you don't, bastards. I'll slit my wrists before I do, and I won't give you the satisfaction of my handing it over!" All this time he had been backing away towards the wall, searching for a moment of relaxation in the others. Ever so slowly, he raised his arm and cocked it in a throwing position._

_With a guttural snarl of rage, he chucked it at the leader. He missed, but by a hair—the leader staggered back, surprised by this movement of defiance, and the hammer tore through the metal wall. The leader gestured towards the others._

_They opened fire._

_The scientist was thrown back, his body hit by twenty four glowing spheres, and he let out a painful groan. His clothes, burnt, let out a sizzle as black smoke rose from it. He slumped forward, and did not move. He seemed to have lost consciousness. Judging by the look of his wounds, the leader knew that they were fatal. The scientist would not live._

Ludwig could not believe his ears. There was no way a body that had been dead for years could actually come back to life. A body that had been cremated, for that matter. And think about the decay! As thoughts run around in his mind, Ludwig forgot one very important thing, one very important person.

He was currently in his newly acquired room, writing as if he had come up with an idea that should not be forgotten. His eyes glowed unhealthily white, and a slight grin reached his lips. He was, at that moment, trying very hard not to laugh.

Oh, how insanity would affect the world.

　 _"__That's it, all right. Take it, and let's move out!" The leader took a deep breath, and grabbed the holder. It looked like a suitcase, and it had a lock on it. The leader groaned inwardly, knowing that he would be responsible for this. Cursing under his breath, he handed it to his teammate, and gestured with his head. It was time to escape. _

_Halfway through, though, he noticed that one of his team members were missing. Having faced this situation before, he buzzed for codename: NTR, and waited. And waited. And waited…but there was no answer._

"_Bad connection," he muttered,"equals a bad team." He would have to talk to him about this. "NTR, respond immediately. Repeat, NTR, respond immediately."_

_Still no answer. What was going on? _

_He was about to quit when he heard something, a sound difficult to discern because of the static. A few seconds later, he realized it was a groan. Immensely relieved, he attempted to speak with the Trooper. After all, NTR was a clumsy person; he might have sprained his ankle again. _

"_NTR! Respond immediately, I repeat, respond immediately…" What he heard next made him narrow his eyes._

"_No…stop, please! I never meant to hurt you! I SWEAR! PLE—"The rest was lost in a scream and static. The leader could hear a beastly howl of rage, and he severed the connection. He turned and looked up towards the others—for he was somewhat shorter than the rest—and said, "I want all troops on high alert. There is, apparently, a monster on the loose. A very big one, in fact. This monster may unleash all of the experiments conducted there, so have your Super Scopes and Bob-bombs ready." He paused. "Go, go, GO!"_

_The soldiers, afraid but not daring to show it, employed their Super Scopes once again, and began running towards the entrance. _

_Halfway through, the one in the back, a rookie, saw a monstrosity running towards them at full speed. It was the professor but with a big difference._

_The right arm was heavily mutated, protruding out from the dirty white lab coat. Its veins stuck out from the grossly enlarged muscle, and green blood could be seen pumping through. The scales seemed to have burned off, leaving the flesh beneath it black and charred. White bone was visible from the strangely transparent elbow. A dull horn stuck out from the shoulder blade. But the scariest part of all was the intensely enraged look of the professor's face—or what remained of it._


	9. Chapter 9

_A milky white film covered the eyes, paling the formerly black eyes to a distinctive gray. The mouth twisted into a grimace, revealing broken teeth, teeth that were growing out again and again…_

_It was too much for the rookie. He turned and began firing rapidly at the thing, screaming all the while. _

_It wasn't enough by far. _

_With a howl, the thing swung its grotesquely long arm, its oversized fist slamming into the soldier's head. The rookie stopped screaming, and slumped to the floor. He would remain silent. _

_The others began giving in, firing at the monster. It was no use; the monster kept on punching, reducing the formerly twenty-five members of the team to three. The leader still would not give up. He would live, unlike his teammates. _

_Finally, after hours of running, the monster disappeared. It had gone like magic. And as a scientist, there was no way the professor could have done just that._

_The leader marveled at the stealth, and even considered sending in an army to capture it. After all, strength comes in nu—_

_An arm swung out of the darkness, barely hitting the leader's head. He fell, landing face-first into a puddle. The other two, horrified, began watching the surroundings, keeping a close eye for any sign of the thing. They didn't know what they were getting themselves into._

Ludwig kept the guards on high alert as he called a detective from his phone book. The detective was top-notch, his real identity unknown, his self-given nickname "Dr. Viktor". He was a mysterious person, full of enigma and lacking in real information. He was creepy, but reliable, and Ludwig trusted him, and thus was the first he called. Punching in the numbers, he waited anxiously as the "Dr." greeted him casually.

"Hullo? This is Dr. Viktor."

"Sergei, this is Ludwig Von Koopa, and I require your help. Immediately."

"What brings you to such desperate measures, comrade? Let's discuss this on my island—I have acquired several bottles of good champagne, none of the cheap stuff. What do you say?" Ludwig was tempted, and even considered it for a moment—champagne, or sparkling wine as he called it, was always kept hidden and under the close watch of several armed guards, and he had not tasted it for quite a long time—but he shook his head.

"This is a big crisis, something we've never faced before. We have no time to waste, and drinking champagne is out of the question. Code fifteen, Viktor, it's code fifteen!"

"Very well. I shall begin my research." The line was cut off instantly, leaving Ludwig to drop the phone unceremoniously into its cradle.

Whoever the perpetrator was, he was going down, big time.

Teela sat in her boat, recalling the terrible events in her life. The strange being injecting its poison into her, causing her to grow those tokens of misfortune…She remained motionless, her poker face gazing at the moon. The blasted fangs…How the people had blamed her for the dead…A corner of her mouth twitched, but the memories kept coming. How the ghosts had made her say those things…she should have listened to Reema. She narrowed her eyes. How they could control her very thoughts…she had felt so powerless, so stripped of the playful and unafraid feelings she had felt that fateful night…so…violated. Her most private part of her as a whole…yet it was invaded, so easily as if it was an empty house with its doors unlocked. The left corner of her lips parted, as did her right.

And yet she was powerless…

That terrible phrase. Powerless…to do anything at all. Powerless to even convince the town that she was completely innocent. It kept mocking her, that one little word. Powerless. Even to save her parents. To save Reema. To do _anything _worthwhile.

As the tears flowed down her snout, she let out a cry of anguish and rage, rocking her boat and causing waves. She sobbed

(_powerlessly_)

uncontrollably, her powers causing disruption among the calm sea. When would this torment, if ever, end? She let out one final cry before letting her eyes run dry.

Dr. Viktor sat in his room, poring over the contents. So this was what Ludwig was talking about…A continuation of the murders that occurred years ago, only ending when Ludwig had sent an army to kill the fellow. The mighty _Oppenfuhrer _had died along with his wife and daughter. But someone was missing. His son had, presumably, escaped, although the official statement was that all had been stamped out.

Sergei Viktor grit his teeth. The connection was just too obvious.

_TBI lay on the floor, panting. He never should have agreed to this. He grasped his weapon and crawled, dragging his now-useless legs behind him. The bloody fools at the head of Shield Inc. had no idea of the pain he was going through, and probably never would. The dolts were merely children, mature in physical appearance but lacking in real maturity. Without the proper morale and consideration, they would never stop playing their war games, and definitely never achieve what they aimed for._

_TBI breathed heavily, his mask making large noises. The communication device had been destroyed and discarded several minutes ago. He was rendered useless and vulnerable, crippled by the falling of a large portion of the ceiling onto his legs. The doctor could easily reach him now._

_As if on cue, he—it—appeared._

_Swearing under his breath, he let off several short bursts, knowing even then that he was doomed. Nevertheless, he kept on shooting, the fiery spheres leaping out of the Super Scope's barrel and hitting the thing's chest. As the thing plunged its now grown claws into his stomach, he let go of the Super Scope, his last thoughts focused on his wife and children._

Oh, Sarah…


	10. Chapter 10

Karma sat in her newly acquired room, looking around and feeling quite grateful. From what she had heard, this used to be the guest room, and Kaska had been given it—only to refuse and give it to her. How kind.

Karma dropped her bags, walked to the bed, and lay there. Wow. Her bed was more than comfortable, it was pure luxury. She smiled. Kaska sure was missing out on lots.

As she lay there, looking around the room, she spotted what looked like a journal. _What's this?_ She thought, and picked it up. It was a brown, battered book, probably used as a diary. The title read, simply, "Journal" and had Kaska's name underneath it. Somewhat interested in reading her friend's personal writings, she opened it and began to read.

_I recently moved here, and I thought I'd use this journal as a way to keep track of what's going on in here. Seems like a nice place, with forests surrounding the area. Maybe I'll go hunting with Dad once we get completely settled here, it seems like a nice sport and I won't have to kill anything as long as I bring my sedative dart gun._

That was all for the first page.

_Hmm. Seems like the people here are Yoshis. Why didn't Dad choose a better place? I mean, to be surrounded by an enemy species, unprotected, and with no contacts around is just darn stupid. Ah well, I'll have to live with it. Literally._

_Focusing on other matters, I have found a soothing place near the river, where there are no creatures to disturb me. I shall call it the Sanctuary. I'll go there whenever I have a bad day. _

How mundane. Karma shifted her eyes towards the next page.

_Spent today looking around, all the while walking in the universal gesture that I am unarmed. At least the people don't hate me. _

_I slipped trying to cross the river on a bridge of rocks, and my beautiful black shell now has an ugly scar running down the middle of it. What am I going to tell Dad? Oh, he's going to be mighty angry, that's for sure. I might not even be able to go hunting as planned, and Dad had promised. Oh DAD, what am I going to do?_

Karma had to grin at that. Kaska obviously had some ego, and he wasn't shy about it. At least in his own mind, that is.

But she was also grinning about the strict father. Kaska's father was a grim, dark, serious, and forbidding Koopa. He hardly ever considered anything fun, and was continuously working on something. That fact that he enjoyed hunting and had some sort of personal bond with Kaska surprised her.

_Ahhh. Ahhh. My butt is on fire! Dad punished me after I told him about my little scar, and now I hardly have the strength to even write. Ahh! . _

The rest was ineligible, mostly written in such sloppy handwriting that Karma could not even guess what he was writing. Glancing at her clock, she figured she would read the rest of them later. She knew that she had a large amount of work to do, but also knew that she could simply ask Ludwig. And she knew that the crisis would be solved soon, the whole family could depend on Dr. Kalashnikov.

What she didn't know was lethal.

Dr. Sergei "Viktor", as he liked others to call him, began making calls to those who had last seen the missing son, a fugitive and possible murderer. He began by punching in the numbers of the Yoshis and the surrounding tribes of the Forest, but none gave him useful information. All they could say was either "You're a Koopa, aren't you? So shut up and leave me alone" or "Well, it was so long ago, I don't really remember" sometimes followed by "You're a detective, right? I lost this ring I was borrowing, and the person I'm borrowing from has a really tough hubby, and I don't want to get in trouble…" or other unimportant things like that. Kalashnikov, after hearing a plea for the eighth time, slammed the phone down in frustration.

"Проклятье!" If none had a proper answer, he had to interrogate the boy personally. He was right there in the castle, but Viktor was half a world away. But then again, he could always call him via phone, right? Viktor began writing questions for the boy to answer. If he couldn't answer these questions properly, and gave something away…the boy would be guilty of murder, no chance of bail, and he would be caught, just like that. Kalashnikov grinned. Perhaps this case wasn't as difficult as he thought.

_A rat scurried down through the toilets of the laboratory, eyeing the bodies of the Special Forces team. They all looked fresh, the heat radiating off of them, and the rat was tempted. It didn't want to get caught by the horrid monster that was rampaging through—it might have a taste for rats, and it certainly didn't want to become monster-food. But it didn't hear the thing's voice, or the screams the would-be bodies gave off, so it figured it would be safe. As it scurried closer to the bodies, however, it smelled fresher food—and it was nearby. The rat scurried off, in search for fresher meat. Once a carnivore, always a carnivore._

_Imp 5 lay on the ground, weakly wishing she had never joined the S.S.F. in the first place. Cursed businessmen…she had been picked as a back-up member, female as she was. But most of the males were dumb anyway, and she was second-smartest of them all. If only the leader had survived…_

_She grabbed the emergency cord on her communication system. Ironic that the back-up system for such a sophisticated device was so primitive…she pulled it anyway. After a second or so of static, the sound cleared and all was quiet. She knew this was a sign of communication between her and the rest of the team—a large group, 25 people—and began her plea for help._

"_Imp 5 here." She gasped for breath. In her state, even speaking was harsh for her. "Currently in sector…" She looked around. She could see the letter T and numbers 3 and 4 etched clearly on the wall. It seems they remade the place. "Currently in sector T34 in the sewers. I require assistance…" She drew in as much air as she could, feeling the crushed state of her lungs. Calling for help was probably pointless anyway, but she might have a chance of survival, even in her state. She gulped in air and began to speak again._

"_I need assistance, desperately. Is anyone out there?" No answer. She sighed, laying down her head. It had been pointless from the start. This whole operation had been pointless from the start. All they had to do was wait a little more, and he would have given it to them. But no, the businessmen had to have it now, and they couldn't wait. Typical…All too typical of them. Tears of frustration ran down her face. If only they had waited. If only—_

"_Hmm?" For one second, she couldn't believe her ears. The leader was alive! All thoughts forgotten, she grabbed the device. She began blabbering into it, half hysterical._

"_Imp 5 here, please help! I'm in sector T34 in the sewers, can you help me? Don't leave me here leader! This is a group operation, right?" She began to say some more when the cold reply came through the speaker. _

"_This is war. Survival is your responsibility." And static, once more, buzzed through. _

"_Curse you! Curse you all! CURSE YOU ALL!" She screamed, sobbing. The leader was alive but he wasn't coming? It made no sense. He would save his own life but would totally ignore others'? What kind of bastard was he? _

_Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the infected rat scurrying over. It smelled blood, lots of it, and was eager to feast. Although there were meals that didn't move all over the place, this one was weak and probably couldn't do anything to it. It squeaked in delight as it reached its destination. It sank its fangs into the suit—and immediately regretted it. The suit tasted like…like sewer-food. It spat in disgust, not caring that by this time, the meal had noticed it. It moved over in search of a softer spot, sniffing the foul stench the dirty suit gave away. Once having found the perfect spot, it bit into the soft, unprotected neck. Blood spilled out, smearing the pink nose of the rat green. The rat fed greedily, taking in blood as well as flesh. Nothing like fresh flesh to a zombie—and this rat was in the middle of becoming one._

_As it fed, another rat found its way to the dying Special Forces member…and another…and another. Soon a whole swarm of infected rats gathered to feed on the once-beautiful face and body of Imp 5. She twitched in protest, but there was no way the carnivores would relent. She uttered a hoarse scream—and all was silent. The only female member of the Shield Special Forces was no more._


End file.
